A dangerous game
by isle-of-fervor
Summary: Set after Kol's death. Klaus has trapped everyone in the Mikaelson his house to pay for his brother's life. His form of revenge is in his own game of Truth or Dare...only his stakes are between life and death. Dark!Klaus. Klaroline, among others.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Set after 4x12-A view to kill. The cure does not exist in this fic. Elena and Jeremy have just killed Kol. Tyler fled town immediately after this. Bonnie never contained Klaus in the living room, and so instead Klaus has trapped everyone in the Mikaelson mansion to get the revenge he thinks he deserves.**

**I've planned this as a short ficlet-5, or 6, chapters. But I'm not 100% certain on it at the moment. Just posting this prologue-kind-of-thing, to see if people like the story, before deciding to keep writing/editing the rest.**

** For those who are reading _In Chains_, sorry for the spontaneous hiatus (blame school and myself), the next chapter is currently being written and should be posted up soon.**

** Thank you :)**

* * *

They were all trapped. Sitting ducks, in a neat little row in the middle of the grand room.

The beast in front of them was barely recognisable, thinly veiled rage, wrapped in a package of sinewy muscle and narrowed eyes. Klaus paced in front of them, his very bones shuddering with the anger inside him. Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, Damon, Stefan, Jeremy and Rebekah were all seated on a wide leather couch, their faces an identical mask of dread.

"Do something, witch." Damon ordered Bonnie under his breath, his signature 'I-couldn't-care-less' gone for once.

"I _can't_." Bonnie whispered back, her tone ravaged. "There's a block here." Despite Bonnie trying to talk quietly, Klaus heard her anyway, of course, and whirled to face the witch.

"You're bright, aren't you? A _block_, yes," He snarled. "You all seem to forget how _powerful _I am, don't you? How many _powerful_ friends I have? You think that you can just _do _whatever you wish and come out unscathed?" As he spoke, his volume got louder and louder. The tips of his fangs began to elongate as he yelled, his blue eyes lightening to gold. "Have you _forgotten _who I _AM_?"

"Niklaus!" Rebekah yelled a protest.

"Beloved sister," Klaus hissed, turning to face her. "You, wanting nothing more to be a human and to be _loved_. Isn't that just adorable? So desperate for affection that you'll side with these pathetic creatures over your own _blood_."

"Blood isn't always the most important thing, Nik." Rebekah murmured quietly. "It may be thicker than blood, but it's thin just the same."

"Is that how you see it, sister?" Klaus anger seemed to dissolve as quickly as it flared. His face smoothed to tranquillity, his voice to satin. A thin, calculating smile spread over his face.

"I'm sure your wondering-what are we doing here? Why is there a block? What has mean, evil Klaus got planned? Well…we're going to play a game." He announced to the room, spreading his arms wide.

"What game?" Rebekah asked cautiously. "We don't want to play any of your-"

"Quiet, Bekah." Klaus snapped. "You'll like this game. _Very _teenage girl. Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, no doubt you played it together at your little human slumber parties. My version will be a little different, though."

"What game?" This time it was Caroline who asked, finally finding her voice for the first time that night. Klaus' smile stretched out further.

"Truth or dare." The title of the game hung in the air, a dangerous, tantalising threat. Everyone seemed to hold their breath.

"The rules of the game is simple." Klaus began to slowly pace around the room. "You tell someone 'truth' or 'dare'. They do it. Then _they_ tell the next person. Simple. Everyone gets to refuse a truth or dare three times, and if they do it any more, they lose."

"And what happens to the losers?" Rebekah asked warily.

"I bite them." Klaus grinned, his fangs sliding out. "And, consequently I guess, they die."

"Klaus." The word was a chorused plea as everyone jumped to their feet.

"_Sit down_!" Klaus barked, waiting until everyone complied. "You haven't let me finish. The winner of the game will receive enough of my blood to heal all the losers." There was a collective sigh of relief. Maybe they wouldn't die.

Klaus continued, "If _I_ win, however, then none of my blood will have to shed at all, will it?"

"So what are we meant to do then?" Damon asked.

Klaus smiled brilliantly at him, his fangs still on display. "It's simple enough. Make sure that I don't win, Salvatore."


	2. A dangerous game

**Thank you all so much for all the positive feedback! It made me decide to definitely keep going with this story :) However, warning, the muse for this story is proving fickle, and therefore my writing and updating may be fairly sporadic. I'll try my best to keep it fairly regular, though.**

**I do not have a beta for this story yet, so excuse any mistakes, and if anyone is interested in beta-ing, let me know! :) **

**R&R**

* * *

_You stand before me, n__ow we stare eye to eye_

_Before another second clicks away, one of us will die_

_You reach for your metal as I reach for mine_

_The sound of bullets flying through the air is followed by a cry_

_What will we do, what will we say when it's the end of this game that we play_

_- 3 doors down, A Dangerous Game_

* * *

"I'll start off with you, Damon." Klaus decided. "And we'll start off easy, because I'm in a good mood. It's a dare you've _already_ completed many, many times in your short, sad existence."

"Spit it out." Damon ordered briskly, though his shifting feet gave away his nerves.

"Carly." Klaus called aloud, out towards the hall door behind him. Moments later, a dopey-looking, pretty young girl walked into the room, her eyes blank and staring.

"Damon," Klaus wrapped an arm around the girl's waist. "I dare you to drain this girl." Caroline, Stefan and Elena were all on their feet at once, protesting loudly.

"Klaus, _stop_." Caroline pleaded, hoping that Klaus would give into her like he had so often in the past. When he turned to her though, his eyes were mean and taunting.

"Stop?" He repeated. "Love, I haven't even started yet."

"We're _not_ playing this game, Klaus." Stefan said, taking a step towards him threatingly.

"_Sit down, Ripper_." Klaus growled, snapping his head back to look at Stefan. "Unless _you _want to take over Damon's dare? How long does it take you to wean yourself back to your pitiful animal diet after tasting human blood," Klaus grabbed the girl's wrist and bit into it, his grin staining red. "fresh out of the vein?"

Stefan shifted backwards. He swallowed them down immediately, but no one missed the purple veins that flashed quickly across Stefan's face.

"Enough talking." Damon, who had been studying Stefan, flashed forward suddenly, grabbing the girl and holding her taunt against him.

"_Damon, no!_" Elena screamed, but it was too late. Carly crumpled to a lifeless heap at Damon's feet. Damon wiped his mouth and stared defiantly at Klaus.

"I'm finished your fucking dare." Damon said.

"Well done." Klaus looked delighted as he settled himself in a large armchair, his hands clasped over his chest. "It's your turn then, Salvatore."

"I dare you to let us out."

"Oh, dull." Klaus snorted, waving the notion away. "Obviously, a dare trying to get out of the game is not permitted."

"You never said anything about-"

"I'm saying it now." Klaus interrupted. "Would you like to argue?"

Even Damon knew better not to argue. He looked instead at Elena, who could barely meet his eye.

"I did it for Stefan." Damon whispered to her desperately, trying to grab her shoulder. "You know I had too." Elena wriggled out of his grasp and turned away, refusing to speak to him. Caroline guessed that she didn't feel like hashing out any of her feelings here, with Klaus watching eagerly.

"Rebekah," Damon muttered finally, collapsing back into his seat, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "I dare you to take _all _your fucking alcohol and bring it here." He shot a glare at Klaus. "Klaus doesn't get any."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "I have my own, Damon."

Rebekah was back within seconds, basically throwing the expensive spirits and lacquer at Damon's head. Caroline could see from the gleam in her eyes that she was excited to have her turn at daring.

"Klaus," Rebekah said triumphantly, standing above her brother. "I dare you to stab herself in the heart." She beamed, looking ecstatic at being able to inflict pain in her brother.

Klaus rolled his eyes, though his lips twitched into a smirk. Caroline couldn't be sure, but he looked almost…_amused_. Insane. Klaus would be the only person that could think being _stabbed _in the _heart _was something to laugh about it. Nevertheless, she hoped that that _was_ the case. Klaus' good nature would be the only thing that could save them from this damned game.

"Your creativity continues to excite me, Bekah," He said drily. "I suppose this dare is payback for my comments earlier?"

"No, it's payback for me being _stuck _here." Rebekah corrected, eagerly thrusting forward a fire poker, which she seemed to have pulled from nowhere. Without hesitating, Klaus pushed it into his chest, barely wincing as he did. Caroline couldn't help the short gasp that escaped her. Klaus turned immediately and caught her eye, maintaining her gaze as he slowly pulled the poker out from his heart. Caroline struggled to hide her alarmed face.

"Did that shock you, love?" He asked, his voice once again silky and streaked with taunting. Caroline felt a cold chill run up the back of her neck as his eyes remained fixed on her, and he smiled, predatorily.

"You forget what I am sometimes, is that it?" Klaus asked. "You forget this when you come along and tease me, when you act as the pretty little blonde distraction while your friends plot to _kill _me."

"Leave me alone, Klaus." Caroline ordered, cursing inwardly as her voice shook. "I'm not going to let you intimidate me."

"You are a stunning piece, love." Klaus looked amused at her response. "I don't have to intimidate you, though. I _could _just dare you to put this through _your _heart." Klaus told her idly, twirling the poker between his fingers.

"It wouldn't kill me, either." _It would hurt a heck of a lot more, though._

"A wooden stake would." The room fell completely silent at his threat. Caroline could feel Elena caught in motion, afraid to make any sudden movements in case Klaus was shocked into carrying out his words. She could feel Stefan's eyes boring into her, looking to see her reaction. She could hear Rebekah's shallow breathing. Rebekah knew better than anyone not to take Klaus' threats lightly.

Caroline ignored them all. She couldn't break Klaus' gaze. He always surprised her with his rapidly changing emotions when they talked, but she usually had _some_ inkling at to what he was thinking. The more time she spent with him, the more she recognised his tells; how he would slightly pucker his bottom laugh when unsure of whether to laugh at her, how he would shift his eyes slightly to he left when he threatened her, revealing that he didn't actually mean it.

But not now. Caroline couldn't read him at all. His face was impassive, his eyes blank but for a small, mean sparkle, watching her, waiting for her reaction. Klaus wanted her to be scared. He wanted them _all _to be scared – wasn't that why they were in this room, playing his sick, perverted game?

Caroline was deathly afraid of Klaus right now, but not enough to give him the satisfaction of knowing that. Ever since turning into a vampire, she hated situations that returned her to her old, weak human mind state. She hated feeling defenceless or beaten. She _wasn't _going to.

When Caroline finally spoke, she was pleased at how strong her voice was "You wouldn't do that." Caroline said assuredly.

"And why not, love?" Klaus asked. "How _important _do you think you are to me? You? You're nothing much more than a-"

Caroline interrupted him. All Klaus had now was mean words. He was just trying to torment her, to belittle her again. He was nothing but a giant bully, when you came down to the root of it. And like all bullies, Klaus was meanest around other people. Caroline had talked to him alone, seen glimpses of long ago humanity when he had smiled at her, but there was none of that left now. Klaus needed himself to be seen as _ruthless,_ in order to stay in control of his captives. Caroline already _knew _he was ruthless, knew he wasn't above petty killings…yet she also knew he had had cause to kill her before, and never had. Caroline was as bold as she was afraid, a dangerous mix to possess in this game. The game. That's what this whole thing was, wasn't it? A game of wills, a game of cat and mouse with Klaus, a game to see who would topple first.

"Because then I wouldn't be able to play your game." Caroline answered finally, eyeing him daringly. She had figured out Klaus better then he wanted her too, she was sure of that.

Klaus laughed, breaking the frigid silence around them. "Ah, you _do _know me well, don't you? Are you _sure_ you don't like me just a little?"

"I hate you." Caroline spat. They continued to stare at each other, both unwilling to break first. Caroline wanted to show Klaus she wasn't afraid. Klaus wanted to show Caroline the reasons that she should be.

"Well, hate is fickle. Come sit here, love, with me," Klaus patted his lap encouragingly, still refusing to break eye contact. "I dare you."

Caroline glared at him. "You're disgusting."

"Do you refuse my dare?" Klaus raised a solitary eyebrow.

Witheringly, Caroline stood up and walked over, gingerly lowering herself onto his legs, finally breaking his gaze so that she didn't have to look at him anymore, and see his stupid smug face. She sat as far away as she could, perched lightly on the very bone of his knee.

"Aren't we comfy now?" Klaus smiled. "Your turn, Caroline."

"I dare you to stab yourself again, and leave it in." Caroline spat, her words venomous. _Time for Klaus to start paying for this whole fucked up situation_. She was prepared to be as ruthless as he was.

She felt a hand close around the back of her collar and she was pulled suddenly backwards into Klaus' solid chest.

"Klaus!" Caroline heard Elena cry out in protest as Caroline was yanked backwards. Before she could move away, the poker landed in front of her, driving into Klaus' leg where, mere seconds ago, Caroline had been sitting.

"You'll have to be more specific with your dares, love." His rough, scratchy whisper in her ear, his hand moving from her shirt collar to the top of her spine, stroking just beneath her hairline. Caroline squirmed. She wanted to move away from him, but was now trapped by the poker, stopping her from moving forward. She had been pushed backwards in a position where she couldn't balance; she had to lean against Klaus' chest like some sort of forlorn, dependant damsel. The irony didn't escape her.

"Your turn, Klaus." Caroline whispered, shutting her eyes. Just moments ago, she had felt confident at beating Klaus at his own game. Yet now, it was becoming obvious that no one _but _Klaus would ever win. He was too smart, too strong, and too brutal.

Caroline just wanted this game to _end_.

* * *

There were six bodies in a heap in the middle of the room. Six young, innocent girls, with families and friends and _lives_. All of that, stripped away in seconds, just because of some twisted hybrid's _never ending _game. He had made Damon drink two more, and then made Rebekah drink two, and then, finally, Stefan.

Stefan. He was teetering on his last life now. He had refused Klaus' dare to drink blood twice, before finally having to give in. He sat on the corner of the couch now, shaking, refusing to meet anyone's eye. Caroline had sat with him after as long as she could, stroking his back and hair, trying to look into his stony eyes, reassuring him it wasn't _his _fault, until Klaus had called her back and she had had to go and perch on his lap again, like some twisted little lap dog.

She _hated _that dare. She hated having to watch Damon drain an innocent, and Elena stake herself in the flesh of her arm, and Rebekah tally up how many times she had ever been dumped, and Bonnie use her own magic to harm herself, all at the pleasure of Klaus, while she sat atop his lap like a mafia wife watching her boss husband dish out punishments to those who owed him a debt. The game _disgusted _her. It made her sick. Physically. She had felt bile rising in her throat constantly. Elena and Bonnie both had to be excused to throw up in the bathroom. They had all started off trying to beat Klaus, make him forfeit his lives, throwing dare after dare at him. They bounced off him easily, he could withstand any pain, and lie his way through any pressing question, with the threat of his bite making everyone too scared to argue with him. And whenever Klaus was dared harshly, he dished them out even worse. Sitting on his lap like his pet hadn't made her exempt from Klaus' cruelty. Caroline had refused to cry when he had made her call Tyler, when he had fed her lines down the phone.

"I hate you. I never loved you. I stayed because I pitied you." She looked straight at Klaus as she said the words down the phone, willing them at him. He only smiled.

Caroline refused to react when he dared her to reveal everyone she had slept with, everyone she had kissed who had never spoken to again. She had wanted to lie, but Klaus threatened to drain her of her vervain and compel if he suspected even a word of deceit. Elena, despite everything, still seemed to pity her as she had confessed to everyone just how much of a _slut _she really was.

Fortunately, depending on how you looked on the nothing but unfortunate situation, Klaus didn't seem to want to hurt Caroline physically, instead just mentally. He made her relive everything awful in her life, from being suffocated, to being tortured at the hands of her own father, to killing Bonnie's crush when she had first turned. He made her tell the room every single time she had ever been rejected. She had winced only when talking about how Stefan had said "it's never going to happen", at the pitiful and slightly amused (Damon) expressions on everyone's face. When Klaus found out about Damon's and her past, her made her tell everyone about that _too_, about how she had been just used as a blonde blood bag and blow up doll, about all the things Damon had said to her. Damon, for his part, didn't even have the decency to look ashamed. He didn't seem to care anymore, ever since Elena had stopped talking to him.

It was three A.M. until it became Caroline's turn again, a soft dare by Bonnie to pull a 'flip the bird' at someone. Around midnight, they had retracted their first tactic to try and hurt Klaus, when that had turned out completely useless, and instead the group had spent the last few hours avoiding Klaus completely, all daring each other fruitless, simple 'dares', in a strategy that avoided them from pain, but also got them nowhere, making no one closer to winning.

Caroline had had enough. She felt as if she was barely herself, her dignity and privacy long ago diminished, her spirit completely removed from the situation she was in. Stefan still refused to look at anyone. Damon seemed to be permanently in his vampire face, watching the others with beady eyes and bad intentions. Caroline wondered briefly about how close he was to turning off his humanity. That would be the last thing they all needed. Elena and Rebekah both looked wrecked, and desolate. They sat silent and completely still, waiting dejectedly for whatever else was going to be thrown their way. And Bonnie, still just a human, was barely clinging to consciousness, her eyes fluttering shut every other second. They were useless like this. They weren't going to win, Caroline realised. Especially not like this. Everyone needed to rest, to regain their strength in order to face Klaus.

"I dare you to let us _sleep_." Caroline had said, directing the first dare at Klaus for over three hours. Klaus, of course, looked as perfect as he always did.

Klaus grinned and agreed, surprising Caroline. "Of course, love. Fresh minds in the morning, and what not. Everyone, feel free to find yourself a guest room and rest yourself up. You all have a _big _day tomorrow."

Hardly believing it, but not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, the others peeled off the couch, practically salivating at the chance of a couple of hours rest from Klaus and his endless game. Caroline leapt off of Klaus' lap, already deciding to find a room to share with Bonnie and Elena. She wanted nothing more than the comfort of her best friends after this ordeal. And she would visit Stefan early tomorrow morning too, she decided. Try and talk to him so that he could see it wasn't his fault at all, that it had been purely-

"Except for you, Caroline, love." Caroline, already halfway up the stairs, turned around slowly. With a swelling feeling of dread, she could guess Klaus' words before they even left his lips.

"I dare you to share my bed tonight." Klaus had a crocodile smile on his face. Caroline yearned to do nothing else but wipe it off.

For their part, Elena and Bonnie were immediately on her defence.

"No way." Elena protested, moving to stand protectively in front of Caroline.

"No _way_, Klaus." Bonnie seconded, sounding angry even as her body sagged with exhaustion.

"Caroline does have the choice to refuse it." Klaus allowed. "Do you want to, love?"

Caroline sighed. If she refused it, she wouldn't put it past Klaus to take back his former offer, and make everyone continue without sleep. And besides that, she would be down a life.

Caroline tried to throw a comforting smile to her two friends, though she doubted it looked very believable.

"No, Klaus," She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, as she moved back towards him. "I _want _to sleep with you." Klaus smirked, and offered her his arm. Caroline saw Bonnie and Elena watching her, their faces ominous as she was led down the hall, past the kitchen, and into Klaus' room. It was magnificent, of course. Caroline had expected it to be magnificent and yet, she _still _wasn't prepared. The room was easily over half the size of her entire house. It was sophisticatedly decorated, with white walls, polished wooden floors, and nothing but wall-sized windows on the far wall. There were two doors, presumably to giant wardrobes and bathrooms. On the right was a giant flat screen TV, with a home entertainment system similar to a cinema. On the right was a giant oak desk, dusted with sketching's of Klaus'. Normally, Caroline would be curious enough to look at them, but that was the last thing she wanted to do right now.

Right in the middle of the room, giant and massive and probably the size of Caroline's entire _bedroom_…was Klaus' bed. It was imposing and frightening right now, with the prospect of having to share it with Klaus looming over Caroline's head. Slowly she walked towards it, pulling back the white, feather down duvet and climbing inside, still completely dressed. Under the covers, she kicked off her shoes to the bottom of the bed. Klaus settled himself beside her, looked at her expectantly.

Caroline smiled faux-brightly at him. "Well. Good night. I'd better sleep, like you said." She went to turn away, so that she was lying with her back facing him. Klaus caught her arm.

"_Wait_, love-"

Caroline wrenched her arm away. "You said to share your bed." Caroline pointed out. "Nothing else. _You'll have to be more specific with your dares_, _love_." Despite her mocking bravado, Caroline was shaking as she glared at him, once again engaged in a staring contest with Klaus. They both knew that if Klaus wanted to do anything, he could. She wasn't strong enough to stop him. But was he? He was ruthless, mean, yeah…but was he really going to, like, _rape _her? She wanted to think better of him than that, but after the last day spent with him…

Surprisingly, Klaus let out a short laugh.

"I guess I should heed my own advice. Goodnight, Caroline. Sleep tight." Klaus switched off the light, clouding them in black. Caroline stayed tense, not believing his words. After several excruciating minutes, each one shivering with fear, she let herself relax into the bed. A hand came to rest on her shoulder, making Caroline jumped, but it stayed still where it was. She waited again, wondering what would happen. Nothing. Klaus left his hand where it was, a feather weight on her tensed shoulder.

After what seemed like hours, Caroline finally found herself drifting to sleep. Her mind was abuzz with everything that had happened, everything that could possibly happen tomorrow. She knew it would be her turn in the firing squad, her to drink a girl tomorrow. She _couldn't_. She just couldn't. The thought throbbed persistently in her mind. Unintentionally, she let out a small whimper. She bit her lip immediately, hoping Klaus didn't hear. Imperceptibly, almost too soft for Caroline to pick up on it, Klaus' hand gently squeezed her shoulder, in a motion close to comforting.

Caroline fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.


End file.
